This invention relates to apparatus which detects vehicle impacts and stores both impact data and data representative of the status of the vehicle during impact.
It is desirable to have accurate data describing the status of a motor vehicle upon impact for accident reconstruction. Such accident reconstruction is crucial for determining, among other things, liability arising from an accident. Data with regard to the location of the vehicle impact, the speed of the vehicle, the status of the passenger restraint systems, the status of vehicle lights, and the status of the directional signals are all crucial facts for determining precisely what occurred during an accident.
In a lawsuit seeking damages for property damage and personal injuries arising from a motor vehicle accident it is imperative to reconstruct the accident because liability ultimately depends upon the fault of the motor vehicle operators. In many states today a court must even determine the percentage of fault of each motor vehicle operator if a multi-car accident is involved because liability may be assessed against each operator in proportion to the percentage of fault for which each operator is responsible.
Accidents typically occur very rapidly and unexpectedly, and therefore the motor vehicle operators involved will often not sufficiently recall exactly what transpired during the accident. Additionally, the observations of any passengers in the motor vehicles and any witnesses to an accident are frequently inaccurate due to the rapid and unexpected nature of most motor vehicle accidents.